Timeout
by trace619
Summary: It's a lovely day at home for Caroline and Flora. At least until Flora does the one thing Caroline had dreaded since she learned to speak. A little lesson in the reality that children will always pick up on the one thing they shouldn't. One shot.


**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews of my last one shot. You all are so kind! Once again this is a humorous, happy one shot. The mental image I got when the story came to mind was to good to pass up. Let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy!**

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Caroline leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head. She stood from her desk in her office at home and looked out the window to the garden where a few of Flora's toys were scattered about. She had spent a lovely morning outside playing with her now four year old daughter and was taking the opportunity to catch up on paperwork while Flora napped. She had never expected that, now in her early fifties, she would be raising another child but she wouldn't trade a moment of her life for anything in the world. She straightened up her desk and headed out to the kitchen to fix another cup of tea. The house was quiet with Flora asleep and Caroline found she wasn't much of a fan of the quiet. Of course she enjoyed peace and quiet like everyone else, or sharing some quiet time on the sofa with Kate but with her wife out for the day Caroline found she was getting a little lonely. A friend of Kate's from Durham was in town for a few days and Caroline had urged her to go out for a day with her friend.

Just as Caroline was wondering what she could do next with her free time the sound of little feet against the floor quickly ended that idea. "Mummy!" Flora shouted as she ran into the kitchen. The little girl was wearing a pink shirt that said 'Mummy's Princess' with a little crown on it and a pair of jeans. She crashed into her blonde mother and wrapped her arms around her legs "Love you Mummy."

Caroline smiled and bent down to pick her daughter up "Ooh I love you too sweetheart." They cuddled for a few minutes and Caroline savored every minute because she and Kate both knew that there would come a day when their little girl wouldn't want to cuddle like she does now. Both hoped that day was far off.

"Where's Mama?"

"Mama is out with her friend today, remember?" Caroline asked as she sat Flora down and poured her a cup of juice. "She'll be back later this evening."

"A playdate?" Flora asked as she walked into the dining room and climbed into a chair.

Caroline laughed as she took a seat next to her daughter with her own cup of tea "Yes it's kind of like a playdate."

They sat for a bit chatting about anything Flora wanted to discuss. Their daughter was already showing that she was a very bright child.

"Mummy?"

"Yes love?"

"Can I go round and see Grandad and Granny?"

"Not today, they're in Halifax at the farm for a few days." seeing Flora's face fall Caroline placed her hand on Flora's arm "We're going over tomorrow for lunch so you can see them then. You can play with Calamity too."

Flora's eyes lit up at getting to see her grandparents as well as her cousin "I have fun with Calamity. She show me the sheep!"

"Yes, yes, you can see the sheep." Caroline stood and ran her fingers through her daughter's curly hair before kissing her forehead. "So Mama won't be back in time for tea so what do you say you and I have a little picnic in the garden?"

"We can sit on the ground and eat?" Caroline nodded "Okay!"

Caroline was preparing sandwiches and fruit salad for her and Flora while trying to keep up with Gillian on the phone. Caroline finally agreed with Kate, she couldn't decide if she loved Gillian to bits or she thought she was a complete plonker. This week it was something about a guy who had made a pass at her at the market, Caroline wasn't sure if it was reciprocated or not, and how annoying Gary was being at the moment. They were just moving on to the argument she and Robbie had had that morning when Caroline began hurrying so she would have an excuse to get off the phone. It was taking everything she had not to shout 'I tried to tell you not to marry him!' She glanced out the window and smiled at Flora sitting her teddy bear up on the blanket to share the picnic with them.

"I mean Robbie comes in last night shouting about me flirting with some guy at the market and won't even give me a chance to respond!"

"Hmm, imagine that." Caroline replied dryly.

"All because some mate of his sees a man saying hello to me, something's going on. I told him I can say hello to whomever I want."

Caroline rolled her eyes and shook her head as her stepsister ranted. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered answering the phone.

"And of course the few times we spoke this morning resulted in an argument which means he's going to come home in a mood."

"No shit Sherlock."

"Mummy?"

Caroline jumped slightly at the sound of Flora's voice. She quickly wondered how much the girl had heard, Kate's voice echoing in her mind not to swear in front of Flora. "Look Gillian I've got to go. Flora and I are having a picnic in the garden for tea. I'll see you tomorrow." After hanging up she smiled and held the tray up holding their food "Ready?"

They laughed and talked while enjoying their time outside. Caroline loved the weekends because it gave her two whole days to spend with her wife and daughter. She missed Kate being with them but she would be back soon. It also made her look forward to the upcoming school break and their holiday. They had yet to decide where they were going but since it was summer and the boys would have a break as well she wanted them to go away as a family.

"Mama!" Flora shouted as a grinning Kate stepped out the door to join them.

"Hello darling." Kate said as she bent to kiss her daughter then over to her wife "Hello."

"Mmm, hello to you too." Caroline replied.

"Isn't this lovely? A picnic for tea."

"Yes and Fuzzy joined us too." Flora pointed to her teddy bear.

"I see that." Kate looked to the stuffed animal "Are you having a nice time Fuzzy?"

"He is." Flora replied. "Did you have fun at your playdate?" she looked up quizzically at her Mother.

It was moments like this that Kate swore she could see a resemblance to Caroline. She chuckled at the question "Yes I did, and my friend Sandy will be coming back this evening to have dinner with us. She really wants to meet you and Mummy."

The afternoon and early evening passed rather quickly as Kate and Caroline went through straightening the house and preparing for their guest. Flora went about playing but grew upset a time or two when her mothers' couldn't stop to play with her.

"I'm glad we're going over to the farm tomorrow." Kate sighed as returned from a stare down with her child. "It'll do her some good to play with someone her age since she's not in school right now. I need to set up a playdate for her this week."

Caroline walked over and slipped her arms around her wife's waist "Can I have a playdate?" Kate looked at her slightly confused "You get a playdate, Flora gets them all the time, and I'd like to have one."

"Caroline you know you are more than welcome to go out for a day with a friend." Did Caroline really think she'd keep her from being around friends Kate wondered?

Caroline grinned as she leaned in closer "I know that, but I was hoping for a playdate with you."

Kate began grinning as well "I like the sound of that. I ran into Sara's mother yesterday at the market and she asked for Flora to come over and play one day this week. Maybe I'll call her tomorrow and set up a day to go over there. Then we can come back here and have our very own playdate."

"I love the way you think." Caroline said as she pressed their lips together.

"You always kissing." Flora said as she walked into the kitchen and looked up at the pair.

Both began laughing as they pulled back but the laughter grew as they looked down at their daughter and saw that she was doing her best Dr. McKenzie-Dawson pose. Flora was standing with her right hand on her hip and even though she was looking up she was still looking down her nose at her mothers.

"You sound like Lawrence." Caroline said as she turned to start dinner.

"No shit Sherlock."

Caroline dropped the wooden spoon that was in her hand as her daughter's words seemed to echo throughout the kitchen. While there was a small part of her that wanted to laugh, and she couldn't help the small grin that broke out, she was almost terrified to turn and see Kate's reaction. Caroline quickly lost her grin before turning to face the music.

Kate's eyes went wide with shock. There was a part of her that found what was said funny but she knew that she couldn't allow Flora to know that. "What did you say?"

Her Mama's gaze told Flora that what she'd just said was going to land her in trouble "Umm."

"You don't swear Flora. It's not nice." She nodded to the little chair in the corner of the dining room "You're in timeout for five minutes."

"But Mummy say it all the time!" she argued.

Now Caroline was ready to panic. Did her four year old just rat her out? Her eyes flicked from Flora up to Kate and then back to the floor. Kate's expression was unreadable.

Kate nodded to the chair again "Flora, I said timeout."

Flora tried her best pout that usually worked on her Mummy but her Mummy wasn't saying anything. She turned and walked down the step into the dining room and took a seat on her timeout chair.

Kate turned her gaze to her wife. She desperately wanted to laugh but she just couldn't do it. She folded her arms across her chest tilted her head and waited for a response.

"Kate," Caroline said as she started walking around the counter. "What you have to understand is."

"I've asked you not to swear in front of her."

"I know but…"

"You overuse that phrase you know."

"I know." Caroline reached out for Kate's hands but the dark haired woman wasn't budging. The blonde finally rested her hands on Kate's waist. "All kids pick up on words they shouldn't. William and Lawrence both did it once or twice but they quit."

"I don't want Flora cursing someone or saying something inappropriate in public."

Caroline now tried her best pout "I am sorry. I promise I'll stop saying it in front of her but it might take some time." then smiling sweetly "I love you."

"I love you too." Kate was now almost shaking inside from wanting to laugh. She looked at the little table in the dining room where Flora would draw or have her own little tea parties. "Now, you've got five minutes in timeout."

Caroline's eyebrows shot up into her hair "You can't be serious!"

"It's the same punishment that Flora received." She walked down the step, picked up one of the little chairs and sat it next to Flora's.

Caroline shook her head. This wasn't happening, no way was this happening. She was a fifty one year old mother of three, she was the headmistress of a school and her wife was seriously putting her in time out. Seeing that Kate wasn't backing down she huffed then walked into the dining room. She sat down on the little chair next to her daughter. When she glanced over she could've lost it at the look of shock on Flora's face.

"Now remember," Kate said as she started back to the kitchen "Five minutes and no talking." Kate quickly made her way through the kitchen and to the downstairs bathroom where she shut the door and doubled over with laughter. When the idea came to her she imagined Caroline would put up more of a fight than she had. If nothing else she figured, it might teach Flora a lesson…and maybe Caroline too. Once she'd composed herself Kate returned to the kitchen to continue with dinner.

Caroline sat leaning forward in the chair, her elbows resting on her knees with her head in her hands. She couldn't believe Kate had put her in time out. What's more she couldn't believe she'd actually gone along with it. She was glad neither of the boys were there to see her like this, or anyone else for that matter, she'd never hear the end of it. When she shifted her eyes to the left she had to bite back a grin when she saw Flora sitting in much the same position and looking up at her out of the corner of her eye.

As Kate returned to the kitchen she chanced a glance at her two prisoners and found herself stifling a laugh again when she saw mother and daughter sitting in the exact same position. Caroline and Flora were leaning forward with their heads resting in their hands and staring at the floor. She cleared her throat to avoid laughing and went back to chopping vegetables.

When the five minutes was nearly over Kate picked up her phone and while neither was looking she snapped a quick photo of the two. She slipped her phone into her pocket and walked down the steps into the dining room "Okay, time's up. You're free to go."

Flora was up in a flash and began running from the room but froze when Kate placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up almost afraid she would be sent back "Yes Mama?"

"Are you going to say that anymore?"

"No Mama."

Kate leaned down and kissed her little girl "Go play until time for supper." She turned her attention to her wife who was much slower at getting up than their daughter. "Do you need some help?"

Caroline shook her head and groaned as she slowly stood and stretched out her cramped muscles. "I'm too old to be sitting in chairs that little."

Kate laughed "You've sat in them and had a tea party with her."

"Yes but I can move and usually I end up in the floor." she reached her hand around and lightly rubbed her backside "These chairs are not suited for my fifty year old bottom."

"Would you like me to massage it?" Kate asked laughingly, the humor of the situation overtaking her.

Caroline gave her a fake smile and shook her head "Well considering you're the reason I'm sitting here I should make you."

"No Caroline, I do believe it was your language that landed you there." She replied with a pointed look.

Caroline sighed "I'm going to do my best to stop. I promise." Then pouting to earn her way back into her wife's good graces.

Kate took pity and leaned in for a kiss "That's all I ask."

"I love you." Caroline said sweetly before heading toward the kitchen to continue with dinner.

"I love you too." Kate said, then as Caroline passed she playfully swat her on the bottom "And your bottom is fifty one years old, not fifty." She quickly took off before her wife had time to respond.

They shared a lovely meal with Kate's friend Sandy and ended with promises to get together again when she was in the area. Before Sandy left Kate asked Caroline to take a picture of them together which she gladly did.

After getting Flora down for the night the couple shared a glass of wine and a little quiet time before deciding to call it a night. Caroline was turning the dishwasher on while Kate picked up the last of Flora's toys in the floor. She stepped out of the living room and walked to the kitchen door "I'm going upstairs."

"I'll be up in just a minute." Caroline said with a smile.

As she was about to go up the steps Kate leaned back "Oh, I took an adorable picture of Flora earlier. It's the one just before the one you took of Sandy and I. You should have a look at it." then grinning to herself she slowly started up the stairs.

Caroline picked up her wife's phone and went to the pictures. She loved seeing new pictures of her daughter and her own phone was already full of them. She swiped past the picture she had taken of Kate and Sandy and her smile faltered when she saw the picture of her and Flora in time out. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide "Kate!" she shouted as she immediately took off after her wife. Smiling as she could hear Kate giggling as she raced up the stairs ahead of her.


End file.
